The present invention relates to turbine flow meter for measuring the flow rate of various fluids. More particularly, the invention is directed to a turbine flow meter in which the rotor is supported in a meter cartridge which may be installed and removed relatively quickly and easily.
Turbine flow meters are used to measure the flow rate of a fluid, i.e., a liquid or gas, being conveyed through a piping system. A typical prior art turbine flow meter includes a length of pipe which is connectable to the piping system, a rotor which is rotatably supported in the pipe, and a magnetic pickup which is mounted in a radial port that extends through the pipe proximate the rotor. In operation, fluid flowing through the pipe spins the rotor, and the rotation of the rotor is detected by the magnetic pickup. The signal from the pickup is transmitted to the meter electronics, which converts the signal into an indication of the rate of flow of the fluid through the pipe.
The rotor is commonly mounted on a shaft which in turn is supported in the pipe by a number of stators around which the fluid is permitted to flow. In one prior art turbine flow meter, these internal meter components are assembled together and then press fit into the pipe to retain them in place. However, this arrangement requires special tools to install and remove the internal meter components, which in turn may require that the turbine flow meter be returned to the factory for maintenance and repair. In another prior art turbine flow meter, the internal meter components are assembled within the pipe and are retained in place by a pair of retaining clips, each of which is inserted into an opposite end of the pipe. Accordingly, in order to remove the internal meter components for maintenance and repair, the retaining clips must be removed, which is a time consuming process that may require specialized tools. In addition, once removed from the pipe, the internal meter components may separate and be dropped or lost.